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From: dupuy@columbia.UUCP (Alex Dupuy)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Re: Info on American Airlines Wanted (Flying to Paris)
Message-ID: <559@columbia.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 4-May-85 19:54:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: columbia.559
Posted: Sat May  4 19:54:49 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 7-May-85 20:31:51 EDT
References: <2674@drutx.UUCP> <155@timeinc.UUCP>
Reply-To: dupuy@columbia.UUCP (Alex Dupuy)
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Organization: Columbia University
Lines: 45


Actually, People Express to London will be raising their rate as summer starts;
I think to $175 after the end of May, and up to $199 in July and August.  There
is also Virgin Atlantic Air, but their rates will probably be only marginally
less than People.

I will be flying direct to Paris this summer myself for about $150 as standby,
and returning for roughly the same.  I have done this twice now; last summer,
and over winter break, and have had no troubles (last summer I even came back
with a bicycle which I had bought in France).

This is a *standby* arrangement, so if you must get to Paris on a certain day,
or can't reschedule/postpone plans, this is not for you.  There is no guarantee
that you will get on a plane the day you want.  On the other hand, I have never
had to wait, although others have (getting your $20 dollar deposit in as early
as possible helps a *lot*).  The flights are ordinary charter flights from JFK
in New York to London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Hamburg and Munich, which have empty
seats due to cancellations (even when overbooked, there are usually 1/2 dozen
or more seats available).  There are also flights from Orly Aeroport in Paris
to JFK under the same arrangement.

The agency, Access International, acts as a clearinghouse, and one of their
representatives comes out to the airport to take care of the arrangements with
the charter people, and if you get a seat, to take the $130 balance from you.
If your priority, based on the time you gave them the $20 dollar deposit, is
not high enough to get you a seat (three of four times I flew, there were seats
for everyone) you can either have your deposit refunded immediately, or be put
at the top of the priority list for the next flight, usually in a week.  In the
summer there are flights to several of the European destinations, and if you
don't particularly care whether you go to Rome or Paris, or even London, your
chances of getting over are even better, since your choice of destinations is
just a preference - you can take any flight which has a seat available to you.

Their address in New York is:		The phone # in Paris (don't know addr):

	Access International			+33 (1) 221.46.94
	250 W. 57 St. #511
	New York City 10019
	+1 (212) 333-7280

They also have discount flights with guaranteed seats, but I am not familiar
with these, and have no idea if they are better or worse than others.  Check
their ad in the Village Voice if you want to know more.

@alex